The IVF Fertility Blog

Selecting the right IVF protocol for your needs can be difficult, especially with the wide number of options provided by a world class fertility center. Understanding the difference between natural IVF and using fertility medication can help you determine which protocol best suits your medical needs and lifestyle.

Use of Fertility Medication

Fertility medication may be used to successfully treat a number of fertility issues including problems with ovulation. For this reason, fertility medication has been used widely in the treatment of infertility. With traditional IVF treatment, fertility drugs are administered via injection, with multiple injections required daily. The purpose of the fertility medication is to push the body to generate a large number of eggs. While fertility medication achieves this goal, there are several common side effects associated with the use of fertility medication including:

Mood swings

Bloating and swelling

Sore breasts

Headaches

Injection site pain

Nausea

Additionally, many traditional IVF cycles require a waiting period between egg retrieval and embryo transfer. This is because fertility medication can negatively affect the uterine lining, making implantation more difficult.

Natural IVF

As opposed to traditional IVF, natural IVF does not push to produce multiple eggs during a single cycle. In fact, during a natural cycle, the body is not pushed at all. Rather than focusing on quantity, a natural cycle protocol has the sole goal of retrieving the highest quality egg possible, the egg that is produced naturally. No fertility medication is used during a natural cycle. Instead, a woman’s body is closely monitored in order to retrieve the egg she produces naturally. The egg is then fertilized and transferred back in to the mother. There is no need to wait between cycles as the uterine lining has not been negatively impacted by fertility medication. Additionally, since fertility medication is not used, the cycle is more comfortable and safer for the mother.

For additional information on available IVF protocols and the difference between them, contact New Hope Fertility Center today. Please click the link below to enter your information and New Hope will contact you, or simply call 212-517-7676. Thank You.